Basic Acoustic Guitar Maintenance

Basic Guitar Maintenance

It is important to keep your acoustic guitar in pristine condition to preserve the instrument and to prevent it from aging prematurely. Basic Guitar Maintenance is one of the essential lesson every beginner must learn and adhere to and is the domain of every serious guitarists; especially if you make a living with your instrument.

A well maintained guitar should look good

Basic Tools to carry in your case

• Cloth x2 - soft, clean and lint free for wiping your guitar down after every session
• Super-fine grade steel wool - for cleaning the frets
• New strings - for when you need to re-string
• Polishing oil - for polishing the neck and body before you re-string
• Wire Cutters - for cutting the ends off the new strings once they are re-strung
• Art Brush - for cleaning those hard-to-reach places like near the bridge
• Adjustable Wrench - for tightening up the nut on the tuners
• String-Winder - for winding on new strings

For the electric guitar

All the above plus:

• A deep socket (half inch/12 or 13mm) for tightening up the jack
• Allen Keys
• An assortment of screwdrivers

Cleaning the Fretboard

Cleaning the Frets

Use a super-fine grade steel wool to clean the frets of your guitar down to make them shiny and smooth. You will need to protect the fretboard with a home-made cardboard template. The template will expose the frets whilst protecting the fretboard from scratching. 

Wipe the fretboard with a clean cloth whenever you re-string your guitar; follow that with a rub down with oil (woodwind bore oil can be used). You should clean the guitar after every play session; slip the cloth under the strings and wipe the fretboard and body down.

Re-string when the strings are worn

Re-Stringing the Guitar

Always put new string on your guitar when the strings are worn out. Often you will 'hear' the dull sound the strings make, you will see dull spots and fraying in the strings - especially the steel strings. If you have forgotten the last time you have re-strung, then you probably need to put new strings on. New strings will make your guitar sound crystal clear and beautiful.

Basic Tools for Guitar Maintenance

A well tuned guitar is a pleasure to play - especially if it is well-maintained. These basic
Acoustic Guitar maintenance tips are imperative to keep your guitar in primo condition for playing and longevity of the instrument!